I was travelling East in the left kane on the southern state parkway in Long Island, NY. The car in fron of me stopped short. I had plenty of time to slow down, then my car brakes locked up and I was almost rearended. Fortunately the driver behind me was alert and moved to the shoulder to avoid contact.
2025 Hyundai Tucson brakes problems
severe 26 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $450 · see brakes across all vehicles →
Complaints
26
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$450
5crashes
2injuries
What stands out
Owners have filed 26 brakes complaints with NHTSA against this vehicle, but no formal recall covers the issue — the federal record reflects what manufacturers have admitted, not everything owners are reporting.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners describe the Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCAA) system engaging suddenly and forcefully during normal driving—highway traffic with adequate spacing, city streets, parking maneuvers, and low-speed scenarios—with no legitimate collision hazard present. The vehicle brakes to a complete stop, throwing occupants forward and creating significant rear-end collision risk. One owner was badly rear-ended ($12,500 damage) after false braking on a highway. Another reported the vehicle came to a full stop from 70 mph in traffic with no car or obstacle ahead.
Owners consistently report that sensitivity adjustments and warning-timing settings do not resolve the problem. More critically, the system automatically re-enables at each vehicle restart; there is no permanent disable option. Owners must navigate multiple menus to turn off the system each drive—a cumbersome workaround that many do not bother with, leaving them at risk of false activation.
One owner reported the vehicle failed to stop during a parking maneuver despite brake pedal depression, lunging forward and hitting a building. Another owner's vehicle required premature brake pad replacement due to squeaking on a brand-new vehicle. Dealers have performed diagnostic scans and reported "no recommended codes" and that the vehicle "works as designed," offering no repairs or solutions despite repeated false-braking incidents.
Same Hyundai Tucson brakes reports on nearby years: 2022 · 2023 · 2024
Failure modes owners describe
Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCAA) false activation
The automatic emergency braking system engages suddenly and aggressively without a legitimate collision hazard—during highway driving with adequate spacing, city streets, parking maneuvers, and low-speed scenarios. Owners report the vehicle braking to a complete stop when no obstacle exists, creating rear-end collision risk and whiplash injury.
When: Across the vehicle's ownership period; one owner reported incidents within 30 days of purchase; multiple owners report repeated episodes within days or weeks of reporting
Symptoms owners cite: Sudden, aggressive braking with no legitimate hazard; Vehicle brakes to complete stop when spacing is adequate; Braking triggered by passing objects, garage door opening, slight road bumps, or vehicles changing lanes nearby; Red warning dash symbols and 'Collision Warning' messages on instrument panel; Audible alarm and steering wheel shake during false activation; Whiplash and forward head/body throw from abrupt stops; Settings reset to default (re-enable) each vehicle restart
Repairs/costs cited: One owner reported front right camera issue confirmed at dealership on March 7, 2026; another brought vehicle to dealership and was told diagnostic machine showed no recommended codes and 'car is fine' despite repeated incidents. No repairs made.
Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist system resets to enabled at vehicle restart
The system automatically re-enables each time the vehicle is started, eliminating any persistent user adjustment or disable setting. Owners must navigate multiple system menus to disable the feature on each drive, creating a practical usability hazard and defeating the purpose of the manual override.
When: Occurs at every vehicle restart
Symptoms owners cite: System setting does not persist across ignition cycles; No permanent override or disable option available in settings; Multiple menu navigation required to disable feature on each drive
Brake system failure—inadequate braking on demand
Vehicle failed to stop as intended during a low-speed parking maneuver. Owner depressed brake pedal but vehicle lunged forward and independently accelerated into a building. This represents a critical brake system malfunction with no warning lights to alert the driver.
When: At approximately 4,500 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Brake pedal depressed but vehicle failed to stop; Vehicle lunged forward and independently accelerated; No warning lights illuminated prior to failure
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle was taken to a collision center after the incident; owner was not informed of root cause diagnosis or repairs; no mechanic or dealer diagnosis provided
Premature brake pad wear
Brake pads required replacement on a brand-new vehicle due to persistent squeaking, raising integrity concerns about brake system reliability and accelerated wear.
When: Early in vehicle ownership (brand-new vehicle)
Symptoms owners cite: Premature brake pad wear; Persistent brake squeaking noise
Repairs/costs cited: Premature brake pad replacement performed at dealership
Parking Collision-Avoidance Assist false activation during parking
The parking collision-avoidance system triggers hard stops during normal parking maneuvers and garage door opening scenarios when no collision hazard exists.
When: During parking and driveway entry scenarios
Symptoms owners cite: Hard stop while pulling out of driveway; Abrupt stops while maneuvering into parking spaces; False activation when garage door opens
Synthesized from 26 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 1 most recent
Had brakes trouble with your 2025 Hyundai Tucson?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the brakes problem on the 2025 Hyundai Tucson?
It's a meaningful issue. 26 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $450.
At what mileage does the brakes typically fail?
Based on the 26 complaints filed, brakes issues most often appear around 11,791 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $450 for brakes repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to brakes?
No active recalls currently cover brakes issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2025/Hyundai/Tucson.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.